Portland Japanese Garden
The Portland Japanese Garden is a wonderful place to find a quiet and peaceful nature scene that is spectacular in beauty no matter what the season. There are eight different spaces to explore in the garden that you can stroll through, sit a spell and observe the fauna.
The Entry Garden is your first stop to relaxation as you wander through cascading ponds, tall firs and huge maple trees. This introduces you to the beauty to behold throughout the rest of the property and offers a glimpse of the purposeful thought that went into its design and the immaculate care it receives every day.
Next stop, take your time strolling through the café, gift shop and Japanese Arts Learning Center where you’ll discover more about the garden and cultural philosophies. Take part in a workshop, listen to a lecture, attend a seminar or take a tour of the grounds.
Your first stop inside the gates will be the Tea Garden, named from a Japanese tea ceremony. Experience a tranquil environment as you stroll along the stepping stones, view the lanterns and both inner gardens and outer gardens connected by pathways. The magnificent culmination of this journey is at the Tea House. This authentic structure has different rooms for the stages of a tea ceremony with culturally significant décor, furnishings and style.
The largest garden is up next, called the Strolling Pond Garden, and has upper and lower ponds that are connected by a stream. Meander along two bridges and take in the beauty of a peaceful waterfall.
Continue on to view the Natural Garden, the most contemporary area of the garden. Here you’ll witness the best variety of seasonal colors, smells and fauna of the whole property.
Just a few steps away is the Sand and Stone Garden, where you’ll experience the artistry found in a Zen monastery. This type of garden is known for it’s beauty of blank spaces and landscapes that are dry and bare.
Finally, experience the Flat Garden, which is actually a visual representation of depth rather than flatness. There are layers of stone, shrubbery and trees that layer on top of each other, front to back, from one viewpoint to depict what you might see in a landscape painting.
Enjoy a relaxing, soulful stroll through one of the prettiest spots in the Portland area at the Japanese Garden!
Up Next is Portland Art Museum